SLAVERYS SHADOW EXPLORING THEMES OF OPPRESSION AND RESILIENCE IN THE BOOK OF NEGROES BY LAWRENCE HILL

Name of Author : E. Pavithra, V. Hemalatha

Abstract: Lawrence Hills The Book of Negroes is a significant work of historical fiction that reconstructs the transatlantic slave trade through the life narrative of Aminata Diallo. Spanning multiple continents and decades, the novel explores the structural brutality of slavery while simultaneously foregrounding resilience as an enduring human response to oppression. This paper examines the themes of racial oppression, gendered violence, displacement, loss of identity, diaspora, literacy, memory, and resistance. Through Aminatas personal testimony, Hill reveals how slavery functioned not merely as forced labor but as systematic dehumanization. However, the narrative ultimately emphasizes resilience as an act of survival, self definition, and historical reclamation. By centering a Black female voice within documented history, Hill transforms historical trauma into a powerful narrative of endurance and empowerment.

Keywords : Slavery, Oppression, Resilience, Diaspora, Identity, Gender, Memory, Lawrence Hill

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